Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Red Stars have traded forward Penelope Hocking to Bay FC, fulfilling her request to be closer to home, the club announced today. In exchange for Hocking, the Red Stars will receive a $350,000 transfer fee to be fulfilled over two years, with $250,000 paid this season and $100,000 in 2025. Additionally, the Red Stars will receive 10% of any future transfer fee Bay FC receives for Hocking.

“We would like to thank Penelope for all her hard work with the Red Stars over the last year and a half,” said Red Stars general manager Richard Feuz.

The Red Stars drafted Hocking in 2023 with the seventh-overall pick in the National Women’s Soccer League draft from Penn State University. In her rookie season, Hocking played in 19 matches and started in 15 across all competitions, including her debut in the team’s opening match of the 2023 season against San Diego Wave FC. She scored three goals and made one assist during her rookie season, including a goal against the Houston Dash that came 23 seconds after substituting into the match; making it the second fastest goal scored by a substitute in league history.

This season, Hocking has played in 13 of the team’s 17 regular-season matches and started in two of the club’s Summer Cup matches. She scored four goals and made one assist for the Red Stars this season, including three goals in three consecutive matches (May 5-19). On June 8, Hocking scored the club’s lone goal at the Red Stars Takeover Wrigley Field Match against Bay FC. Hocking made history that night by becoming part of the only father-daughter duo to score at Wrigley Field; her father was a Major League Baseball player.

The Red Stars expressed their gratitude towards Penelope for her dedication and contributions over these past two seasons and wished her success as she continues her career closer to home.